Woman killed by her own ‘highly trained’ K9 personal protection dog

Dutch Shepherd was said to have been trained by the woman’s husband, a ‘very accomplished K9 trainer’

Loudon County Sheriff found a woman killed by her own dog in Tellico Village, Tennessee (Loudon County Sheriff's Office )

A woman was mauled and killed by her own "highly trained" dog, which Sheriff’s deputies shot as it stood guard over her dead body.

Deputies were called to Tellico Village in Tennessee, about 50 minutes southwest of Knoxville, after multiple witnesses called 911 to report someone being attacked by a Dutch Shepherd.

They arrived to find a large black dog standing guard over her body after 7 pm local time on Wednesday, according to a Loudon County Sheriff’s Office statement.

"Deputies were unable to approach the victim due to the potential attack from the dog and an LCSO deputy was forced to shoot and kill the animal," the statement said.

The victim was identified as a Tellico Village woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sheriff’s confirmed in a statement to The Independent that the woman, whose identity has been withheld until her family is fully notified, was the owner of the animal.

"The dog was a Dutch Shepard and was reportedly a very highly trained personal protection dog that was owned by the victim and her husband, who is a long-time and very accomplished K9 trainer," the statement said.

Dutch Shepards are commonly used working dogs for herding, tracking, search and rescue, personal protection and police dogs.

They’re generally a lively, athletic, alert and intelligent breed with an independent nature, and can be slightly obstinate with a mind of their own, according to the American Kennel Club.

The dog was taken to a University of Tennessee Veterinarian College for a necropsy.